In every walk of life, people seek refuge from the judgmental perceptions of their contemporaries. Therefore, many people live in secret. For them, secrecy is an absolute necessity to avoid unwanted scrutiny and maintain normality in public. When it comes to gender and its expression, the lines are often blurred. While some hide, others brazenly flaunt their sexuality and alternative perspectives on gender roles in public. In Gay New York's "The Bowery as Haven and Spectacle," by George Chauncey, he explores the emergence of the Bowery's "fairy" bars and how they became a sanctuary for New York City's working class and queers. He discusses at length the tension that arises between the middle class and the working class, bars as a spectacle and place of entertainment, the solicitation of sex work, and the developments of gay culture in the bar scene. Gender lines were blurred when men began cross-dressing and adopting mannerisms normally associated with women. On the other hand, Merril Mushroom, author of "How to Engage in Courting Rituals 1950's Butch-Style in the Bar," abides by a long list of rules for butch lesbians on methods to attract other women. Here, women cross gender boundaries and take on male characters. That said, both pieces show the development of alternative gender identities. However, this shift in gender roles rarely happens outside of the bar scene. Despite the semi-public gender confusion, those who identify with this lifestyle still feel the need to express themselves in an environment more conciliatory to their blatant disregard for gender norms. The pieces mentioned above answer questions about why one must live in secrecy and how this secrecy kickstarts the development… middle of paper… the scene was instrumental in the development of a culture and identity for homosexuals. In today's contemporary world we see the effects of what was done in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Today there are numerous dances where homosexuals can gather on a larger scale and engage in almost ritualistic practices. The bar scene has flourished far beyond the Bowery and into mainstream culture. Despite this, I have personally witnessed a new trend of bars opening in areas, namely the less economically stable areas of New York City, that cater primarily to homosexuals. In these areas homosexuality is shunned much more harshly than in areas with financial stability. Overall, the foundations laid at the beginning of the century are still being built by those of the contemporary age, who are trying to gain greater notoriety by promoting homosexual identity..